Electronic pens can be used for generation of electronic information that reflects handwritten entries on a base. It would be desirable to incorporate such electronic pens in an information management system such that the electronic information could be efficiently conveyed to different destination units for further processing.
In US 2003/0061188, US 2003/0046256 and US 2002/0091711, which are herewith incorporated by reference, the present Applicant has suggested such information management systems in which a position code is applied to each base to code a plurality of absolute positions thereon. By reading the position code, the electronic pens are capable of electronically recording a sequence of positions that reflect their own motion on the base.
The position code on each base is a subset of a much larger abstract position-coding pattern. Examples of such abstract patterns are given in U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,008, U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,104 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,976, which are herewith incorporated by reference.
The abstract pattern may be dynamically or statically divided into subsets of given size, each such subset being associated in the system with a unique identifier. If each subset is intended for a respective physical page, it is denoted a pattern page and is represented by a unique page address. In such a case, each absolute position may be represented by a page address and a local position within the associated pattern page.
By designating different parts of the abstract pattern to different destination units, the electronic information can be automatically directed from the pen to the correct destination unit for processing. For example, the system may include an intermediary server which, upon receipt of one or more absolute positions from a pen, identifies an associated network address of the correct actor and directs the flow of data to this address.
It might be desirable to provide for on-demand generation of coded bases, e.g. by means of digital printers, in an information management system of the above-identified type. Such systems are disclosed in Applicant's co-pending PCT application WO 04/038651, which was unpublished at the filing of the present application and is herewith incorporated by reference. These systems include a printing tool that allows a user to request the printing of an electronic document as a coded base. Upon such request, the printing tool obtains a subset of the abstract pattern from a position assigner. The position assigner also provides electronic allocation data in the system which allows the intermediary server to direct the flow of data to the correct network address.
There is a need to provide, in such a print on demand system, a technique to designate parts of the coding pattern efficiently, transparently and in real time.